smith



(No Model.)

F. A. SMITH, Jr.

STAPLE- FASTENER. No. 363,091. Patented May 17; 1887.

WITNESSES.

IINVENTIDH.

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FRANKLIN A. SMITH, JR, on PROVIDENCE, nnonn ISLAND.

STAPLE-FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 363,0 9], dated 'May 17, 1887.

Application filed December 4, 1886. Serial No. 220,697. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

- Be it known that I, FRANKLIN A. SMITH, J r., a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Staple-Fasteners; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in the manufacture of staple-fasteners such as patented by me May 25, 1886, No. 342,471, to which reference may be had for the consideration of this matter. As described in the patent referred to, the legs of the staple are thinned to a uniform thickness by flattening or swaging both sides of the wire, making said legs stand central relative to the inner portion or arch of the fastener, forming a shoulder on both sides of each leg. Ifind in practice that a less expensive fastener is producedby thinning or flattening the legs of the fastener so as to form shoulders on one side of the wire, instead of on both sides, as in the patent referred to, and to otherwise produce a stronger and more reliable staple-fastener, which can be attachedto fabric with ease and dispatch.

To this end my improvement consists, essentially, in forming a staple-fastener from a blank made from Wire, it having an inner portion of the same form or configuration in crosssection as the wire from which said blank is made, the remainder of the blank on each side of said inner portion being flattened and broadened to substantially a uniform width and thickness and provided on each end with sharpened or attenuated points, the inner termination of the flattened portions forming shoulders on one side of said blank, the opor other article, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is a side and top plan view of my improved staple-fastener blank. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a fastener made from my improved blank.

In carrying out my improvement the central portion, a, of theblankisleft in its normal condition, its form or configuration in crosssection being unchanged,the outer extremities, c 0, being flattened and broadened to substantially a parallel width andthickness, the inner termination of the flattened portions forming the shoulders'b b on each side of the central portion,a, thelower surface of the blank being in a continuous plane. The ends d d are sharpened to readily penetrate the material to which the staple may be secured, as fully shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The wire blank being formed as described, is bent at its center to form a loop or arch, and a table on each side thereof, said tables terminating in downwardlyprojecting prongs standing parallel to each other, the central portion,a,forming the loop or arch of the fastener, the flattened portions 0 c forming the tables and prongs, said tables being formed from the blank at or near the shoulders I) b, the fastener being formed substantially as shown in Fig. 2.

The drawings illustrate the blank as made from round wire. Any of the usual forms of wire, however, may be employed with like results. The blank is also adapted to be used in making other forms of staple-fasteners than that herein shown and described.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. A fastener-blank made from wire, comprising an inner portion of the same form in cross-section as the wire from which the blank is formed, the remainder of said blank on each side of said inner portion being flattened and broadened and pointed or sharpened at each end,said blank being provided on oneside with shoulders at the inner termination of said flat tened portions, the opposite side of said blank being in a continuous plane, said blank being adapted to be formed into a fastener for use, substantially as specified.

2. As an improved article of manufacture, the staple-fastener made from the blank herein described, the same comprising a cylindri- IOO cal bntton-holdingloop formed from the inner portion of said blank, and having the bearingsurface and penetrating-prongs of the fastener formed from the flattened portions of said blank, said bearing-surface and prongs being substantially of a uniform width and wider and thinner than said loop portion, substantially as herein set forth.

3. As an improved article of manufacture, the staple-fastener herein described, the same comprising the loop portion a, cylindrical in form and provided on each side with the bearings bb, and prongsc 0, having sharpened or attenuated points 01 d, said bearings and prongs being wider and thinner than said loop 15 portion, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature l in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANKLIN A. SMITH, .TR.

Witnesses:

CHARLES GREENE, CHAS. E. BAILEY. 

